The third Sunday in Advent falls on 11 December to 17 December. Some Sundays during the liturgical year have taken their names from the first word in Latin of the Introit, the entrance antiphon at the Eucharist. Gaudete Sunday is one of these. The Introit is Philippians 4:4-6
Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete : modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
The candle on the wreath is pink, and the vestments are rose coloured. The readings at the end of the church’s year and in early Advent speaking of warning of God’s coming give way to enthusiasm and rejoicing as the day approaches.
